IMPORTANCE OF

FISHERIES AND
AQUATIC RESOURCES
Romavie Bergado

BSSW
• The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is
an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture. It
is responsible for the development, improvement,
management, and conservation of the country’s fisheries
and aquatic resources.
BFAR Goals
• Sufficient contribution to national food security;
Inclusive growth within the industry. Compliance to
international laws, policies, and standards, and
enforcement of local laws and regulations; Resilience to
environmental hazards.
Why was BFAR created?
• Taking cognizance of the increasing importance of
effectively administering and conserving fisheries and
other aquatic resources and in efforts to rehabilitate
the devastated economy brought upon World War II, the
Congress of the Philippines enacted Republic Act No.
Why is it important to have BFAR in our
country?
• One of the Bureau's goals is to improve and enhance the
quality and value of fish and fishery products for
market competitiveness. This can be achieved through
provision of linkages between prospective markets and
producers through various activities, such as product
promotion and market matching.
• Fish resources play key roles for human food supply and
aquatic ecosystems. Fish is among the most traded food
commodities, and in many countries fisheries make an
important contribution to sustainable incomes and
employment opportunities. Fish represents around 20% of
the animal protein consumed worldwide.
 Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMCS)
in barangays, cities and municipalities, and defining their
composition and functions (No. 240).
• In order to institutionalise a major participation of the local fisherfolks
and other resource users in the community-based planning and implementation
of policies and programs for the management, conservation, development and
protection of fisheries and aquatic resources of the municipal waters, as
defined by the Local Government Code, there are hereby created Fisheries and
Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMCS) in all barangays,
municipalities and cities abutting municipal waters. In bays, gulfs, lakes,
rivers and dams bounded by two or more barangays or municipalities/cities,
Integrated FARMCs shall be created in all barangays, municipalities and
cities abutting municipal waters. In bays, gulfs, lakes, rivers and dams
bounded by two or more barangays or municipalities/cities, Integrated FARMCs
shall be created.
• The FARMCs shall prepare and recommend the fisheries and aquatic resources
management policies and plans for integration into the Local Development Plan
and recommend to the local government units and special agencies referred to
in section 7 guidelines on the development and implementation of projects,
and issuance of permits and licenses for the appropriate use of fisheries and
aquatic resources, and to ensure that resource use limits and controls are
imposed.
 CORE PROBLEMS
•Loss of marine biodiversity
•Declining fish stocks
•Loss of revenues and benefits from fisheries
and coastal resources
•Inequitable distribution of benefits from
fisheries and coastal resource uses
•Population growth
•Inconsistent policies and programs for
sustainable fisheries
•Weak institutional and stakeholder capacity to •management initiatives
plan and implement fisheries management
•Lack of a constituency for sustainable
fisheries
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
•Overfishing
•Illegal and destructive fishing
•Coastal and habitat degradation
•Siltation and pollution
•Post-harvest losses
•Inefficient marketing
•Open access
•Inter- and intra-sectoral conflicts
•Low awareness and participation in management
•Lack of employment/poverty among municipal fishers
•Low awareness of the implications of overpopulation and food
security
•Lack of delivery mechanisms for reproductive health programs in
rural coastal communities
•Continued investments in production-oriented programs
•Conflicting and fragmented national policies
•Absence of a vision for institutional change to support
sustainable fisheries
Inadequate technical and financial support to LGU fisheries
•Weak and inadequate law enforcement
•Inadequate interagency coordination mechanisms for fisheries
and coastal resource management
•Low awareness and understanding of the implications of
overfishing on food security and economic development
•Polarization of stakeholders over means to achieve sustainable
fishing
REPUBLIC ACT No. 8550- AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT AND
CONSERVATION OF THE FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES, INTEGRATING ALL LAWS PERTINENT
THERETO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10654- An Act To Prevent, Deter And Eliminate Illegal, Unreported
And Unregulated Fishing, Amending Republic Act No. 8550, Otherwise Known As “The
Philippine Fisheries Code Of 1998,” And For Other Purposes .

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 240 April 28, 1995

CREATING FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COUNCILS (FARMCs) IN BARANGAYS,
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, THEIR COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS

Sec. 1. Creation of FARMCs. To institutionalize the major role of the local

fisherfolks and other resource users in the community-based planning and
implementation of policies and programs for the management, conservation, development
and protection of fisheries and aquatic resources of the municipal waters as defined
by the Local Government Code there is hereby created FARMCs in all barangays,
municipalities and cities abutting municipal waters. In bays, gulfs, lakes, rivers
and dams bounded by two or more barangays or municipalities/cities, Integrated FARMCs
shall be created.
• Fishing is a significant source of protein, vitamins and
micronutrients which are not found in abundance or diversity in crops
or other animal products.
Both capture fisheries and aquaculture sectors continue to be critical
 to the region in regards to food security, income generation, and emp
loyment, as evidenced by the tons and the value produced. People have
benefited from the abundance of the Philippine marine fishery resource
in recent decades. Inquire with the old fishermen about how they
culled their catch. Many of them believe that fish smaller than a foot
in length should be returned to the water. They even had the luxury of
selecting the most delectable fish for a wide variety of species
thriving in a specific fishing ground back then. Technology has
advanced over time. Municipal fishing boats became increasingly
motorized. Many commercial fishing vessels grew in size and power.
Fishing gear has progressed from a simple tool to highly sophisticated
fishing gadgets capable of sweeping the bottom of the fishing grounds
for almost anything, including valuable coral.
• Fish kills caused by the local population's disposal of solid
wastes and the discharge of chemical wastes by some
manufacturing plants are also serious concerns that endanger the
country's fishery resources. Another important factor
contributing to the depletion of the country's fishery resources
is siltation and sedimentation of the water ecosystem caused by
deforestation, mining, and other human activities. In addition
to introducing poisonous and toxic substances into the water,
silts and sediments cause riverbeds to shallow, killing
phytoplanktons and other aquatic organisms responsible for
photosynthetic activities. Photosynthesis, in addition to
contributing to the food chain process, provides oxygen to fish
and the rest of the ecosystem's living organisms.
• Introduction
• The Philippines' seas provide food for the entire country and a source of income for
millions.Fisheries are important to all Filipinos economically, culturally, socially, an
d ecologically.As evidenced by declining fish catch, size, and species composition acros
s the country, these resources are in crisis.The current state of fisheries in the Phili
ppines and around the world is dismal. With the rapid increase in population,
urbanization, and industrialization reduce the quality of Philippine waters, especially
in densely populated areas and regions of industrial and agricultural activities. The
discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater and agricultural runoff has caused
extensive pollution of the receiving water-bodies. This effluent is in the form of raw
sewage, detergents, fertilizer, heavy metals, chemical products, oils, and even solid
waste. Each of these pollutants has a different noxious effect that influences human
livelihood and translates into economic costs. “The adverse impact of water pollution
costs the economy an estimated Php67 Billion annually (more than US$1.3 Billion). The
government continues its fight against worsening water pollution by espousing and
including among its priorities, environment policies, legislation, and decrees that
address the growing need to control water pollution. In the last few years, the
government has employed economic instruments such as pollution fines and environmental
taxes.”
• The country is endowed with rich natural resources, including water, which are essential
for the country’s economic development and in meeting its Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). Water resources of the Philippines include inland freshwater (rivers, lakes, and
groundwater), and marine (bay, coastal, and oceanic waters). Overall, there is
sufficient water but not enough in highly populated areas, especially during dry season.
• Background information
• Nearly
2.2 million metric tons of of organic pollution are produced annually by domestic (48
percent), agricultural (37 percent), and industrial (15 percent) sectors. In the four water-
critical regions, water pollution is dominated by domestic and industrial sources. Untreated
wastewater affects health by spreading disease-causing bacteria and viruses, makes water unfit
for drinking and recreational use, threatens biodiversity, and deteriorates overall quality of
life. Known diseases caused by poor water include gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera,
dysentery, hepatitis, and more recently, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The number of
water-related health outbreaks including deaths reported in newspapers is going up. However,
awareness regarding the need for improved sanitation and water pollution control, reflected by
the willingness-to-pay and connection to a sewerage system where they are easily available, is
very low.
• The
annual economic losses caused by water pollution are estimated at Php67 Billion (US$1.3
billion). These include Php3 billion for health, Php17 billion for fisheries production, and
Php47 for tourism. Losses due to environmental damage in pollution, the Philippines has many
water-related laws, but their enforcement is weak and beset with problems that include:
inadequate resources, poor database, and weak cooperation among different agencies and Local
Government Units (LGUs). A Clean Water Act is now being deliberated in the Congress.
•Alternative Solution
•The solutions to these problems are difficult. To stabilize and reverse the current negative
trends affecting fisheries and coastal habitats, difficult decisions must be made. Fisheries
and coastal resource management must be prioritized by national and local stakeholders to
ensure food on the table today, future fish catch, and continued economic benefits from the
Philippines' rich coastal ecosystems. To address critical threats to fisheries and other
coastal resources, create an ecosystem-based fisheries management program.
•Develop guidelines to ensure the transparency of at-sea transshipment-
Transshipment of catch at sea, particularly in the longline industry, can allow illegally
caught fish to get to market unless it is adequately regulated and controlled. The FAO should
consult with leading experts to develop technical guidelines for best practices to ensure
that transshipment activities are transparent, accountable, and verifiable. In the interim,
COFI members should ban all forms of transshipment at sea until measures are in place to
detect and deter illegal catch transfers.
•Fully implement the international plan of action for sharks.
•Improve data and catch reconstruction - Reliable catch data are essential to implementing
effective fisheries management and can help states identify trends in catch and changes in
important fisheries. The information then can be used to detect overfishing, protect small-
scale fisheries, and focus resources on improving data collection efforts.
• Conclusion
• Freshwater aquaculture is important in these countries, as it is in
other parts of the world. It contributes to increased fish production,
increased animal protein supplies, and job creation, as well as
improving farm income. In the face of declining capture fisheries
production and growing populations, it has been recognized that
aquaculture production can make a significant contribution to bridging
the widening gap between demand for and supply of fishery products in
Asia. As a result, it is critical for these countries to review and
develop policies for the long-term development of aquaculture. These
policies should address issues such as natural resource use, research,
inputs and outputs, and pricing, as well as marketing and credit
issues. Water management for cultured water bodies is critical for our
country. Water pollution caused by the discharge of industrial toxic
pollutants must be minimized in all countries if it cannot be
eliminated. Water use conflicts between crops and aquaculture should
be avoided to the greatest extent possible. Fertilizers and
agrochemicals should be used minimally on crops to protect fish
habitats.
• Written Report
• With the continuous efforts of every member of the coast guards
and BFAR I can say that we will still see that it is clean in the
coming years, but it is necessary to teach people, especially
those who travel abroad, not to just throw trash and not to catch
the fish and any sea shell they find. Just leave it in their
natural habitat to reproduce. Although I see their persistence, I
lack the courage and toughness of our government to fully resolve
it.
• While the BFAR maintains the technology centers in the immediate
term, the long term the agency's strategy is to empower local
governments by providing technical assistance help with the
establishment of community-based hatcheries. Consequently, the
availability of brood stocks and fingerlings at the neighborhood
levels.
• Source: Philippines: Environment Monitor 2003
• 1. Dalzell P., P. Corpuz, R. Ganaden and D. Pauly,
1987. Estimation of Maximum Sustainable Yield and
Maximum Economic Rent from the Philippine Small
Pelagic Fisheries: BFAR Tech Pap. Ser. 10(3): 23 p.
National Statistics Office. 2000.
• Elizabeth Wilson directs Pew’s international ocean
policy work.